HISTORY OF GIPPSLAND VETERINARY GROUP

In the beginning - the 1950s

Back in 1952 when Robert Menzies was prime minister of Australia and Queen Elizabeth began her long reign, a bloke called Stan Dennis established the first private veterinary practice at his home in Koonwarra Rd, Leongatha. We don’t know much about Stan but he had been a vet working in the Department of Agriculture before setting out into private practice on his own. If anyone reading this has more information on Stan we would love to hear it!

In 1953 Peter O’Connor joined Stan forming Dennis & O’Connor. We know a lot more about “POC”. Some of the vets still working for GVG worked & trained under Peter. He was one of the world’s gentlemen with a cheeky sense of humour and a strong work ethic. Peter began the tradition, still current in today’s GVG, of taking the time to mentor local students wanting to enter the veterinary profession & the training of young veterinarians. He was our first academic associate of Melbourne University and a constant stream of students from all over the world have travelled to Leongatha to gain veterinary practice experience under his tutelage. Peter was also a valued community leader and his calls were regularly broken by tea breaks as he dropped in to check on his large number of friends. Peter’s family are still spread through the local South Gippsland Community.

In 1955 Stan left & Peter Jackson joined Peter and formed O’Connor & Jackson.

The 1960s

Around 1960, John Crawford started a private practice out of the garage of an old house in McKenzie St., Wonthaggi. There are still farmers in the area that tell stories of John’s antics as he madly raced around the countryside attending calls; by all reports he was quite a character. John also opened an Agriculture & Pet Supplies business in McBride Avenue in the town centre.

In 1963 The University of Melbourne reopened its veterinary faculty. Victoria had been without a veterinary school since 1928. Most would-be veterinarians went to Sydney for training. This reopening of the University of Melbourne Veterinary Faculty led to a supply of Victorian trained veterinarians later in the 1960’s.

Back in Leongatha, O’Connor & Jackson were joined by Ted Groom. Ted left later in that decade & was replaced by Angus Young, forming O’Connor, Jackson & Young. The practice established a clinic in a shop on Bair St.

The coal mines in Wonthaggi closed during the 1960s. Many of the miners were Italian immigrants. When the mines closed, many of them moved into dairying which became a much bigger part of life across Bass Shire and Phillip Island. They added a rich culture to the region, and many of their children and now grandchildren still farm in the area.

The 1970s

In 1971, after 16 years of service to the South Gippsland Community, Peter Jackson left for Tasmania. This saw Murray Hooper join the practice as a new graduate. Murray was a graduate of the recently re-opened University of Melbourne’s Veterinary Faculty. One of Murray’s fellow graduates, Lindsay Moore joined the practice in 1972. Lindsay developed an interest in Bovine Embryo Transfer, which he developed as a major part of the practice work. In 1973, Angus Young fled to warmer climates and Murray joined POC, forming O’Connor & Hooper.

The Australian cattle industry crash of the mid 1970s was a trying time for veterinary practice in South Gippsland. Cattle practice was the vast majority of work for the local practices. Farmers were taking extreme measures of shooting their cattle as low prices could not justify feeding them or transporting them to market. During this downturn the local practices did not employ further veterinarians.

John Crawford was working solo and Murray, Peter & Lindsay would occasionally help him out when needed. John opened a clinic in Newhaven which ran from the garage of a house. John employed Wayne Fitzgerald to work out of Newhaven. Wayne was replaced by Greg Harris when he moved to companion animal practice in Melbourne.

The 1980s

Until now, veterinary practice in South Gippsland had been largely based on emergency dairy cattle work, with working hours continuing 24/7 to help calve cows, treat down & sick cows and provide reproductive expertise. Dogs & cats were treated after the cattle work had been completed. Often this was late into the evening, with routine consults regularly starting after 6pm. The 1980s saw things begin to change as our community started to value their pets as family members.

During the next decade the vets in the practice adapted to treat deer and ostriches, both of which had developed as new agricultural industries.

In 1981 Lindsay joined the partnership forming O’Connor, Hooper & Moore. Lindsay’s work in the embryo transfer field had continued to grow. Murray was also spending time working in embryo transfer which saw both of them travel widely around south eastern Australia, contributing to the genetic improvement of Australia’s cattle herd.

Phil Poulton was employed by O’Connor, Hooper & Moore in 1981 after he graduated from the University of Melbourne. At this stage the practice had 5 vets (3 of whom were partners), 1 vet nurse and 1 accounts person (Mrs Beirsteker). Vets were directed to their next call by 2- way radio. Mobile phones were still 10 years away. Phil worked in all areas of the practice and developed interests in the treatment of down cows which led to him completing a PhD in this field many years later. He also developed expertise in acupuncture and was the first Australian vet to incorporate acupuncture to the treatment of cattle, especially down cows.

Meanwhile over in Wonthaggi, Greg Harris had left for Maryborough, Queensland and John Crawford’s expanding practice needed help. This led him to employ 2 new graduates in 1982. Tony Gedye & Mark Mackie graduated together from the University of Melbourne and launched their veterinary careers in Wonthaggi. Tony remained at Wonthaggi for his entire 35 year career. Mark & Tony purchased the practice from John in 1984. They worked hard to build their practice and moved the Wonthaggi clinic to McBride Avenue. Mark worked out of Newhaven.

In 1984 Barb Dell joined the business at this stage to become our accounts person. Barb and her husband Graham operated a dairy farm in Smith’s Rd, Mardan.

At the end of 1984 Peter O’Connor retired to his farm in Middle Tarwin. Lindsay Moore left the partnership to start up a dedicated embryo transfer practice based in Meeniyan. Murray & Phil formed the Hooper & Poulton partnership at the start of 1985. They were incredibly busy with calving related work at this time covering a large geographical area.

Will Bullock arrived in South Gippsland in 1985 to help his brother on a Middle Tarwin dairy farm. Will had grown up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and graduated as a vet in London. He saw practice in the UK, Dubai & Maffra before arriving in South Gippsland. His offer of help was gratefully received by a busy & tired Murray and Phil. The new partnership of Hooper, Poulton & Bullock was started in 1986. Will was a great teacher and had the uncanny ability to do surgery on a cow while smoking a fag and continuing a running monologue, explaining to anyone around what he was doing.

Also in 1986, John Steinfort started a one man practice in Mirboo North, with a branch in Dumbalk. John had graduated in 1981 in the same year as Phil Poulton. In response to this competition, Phil was moved up to Mirboo North where the new partnership opened a practice right next door to John.

Also in 1986, Mark and Tony constructed a purpose built mud brick clinic at the current Newhaven practice site. This was done with handmade mud bricks and a lot of sweat and toil.

Barry Zimmerman arrived at Wonthaggi in 1987 and soon after became a partner in the Wonthaggi Veterinary Clinic. He began to run two evening clinics out of his home in Inverloch. The practice now had 3 clinics.

Meanwhile in Foster, a two vet practice owned by David Hall was servicing the area from its base on Main St. David employed Graham Hancock as his veterinary associate. In 1987 David decided to retire from veterinary practice and start a career in teaching. Hooper, Poulton & Bullock acquired the Foster Veterinary Clinic and Graham Hancock with it. At this stage Will Bullock moved to Foster to manage that practice.

Also in 1987, Andrew Bissett, a 1985 University of Melbourne graduate, was employed to do a 6-month locum. Andrew had grown up in Leongatha and started work in Hamilton in the Western District of Victoria.

1988 brought Jenny Hibble into the Wonthaggi practice as a fourth vet, ending an all-male era. The Wonthaggi practice was still very much a large animal practice operating out of a shop front/old house on McBride Avenue. Companion animal consults were done in the middle of the day and surgeries when there was time! Staffing included a nurse, a receptionist and a book keeper 2-days a week, as well as a young girl answering the phones for Newhaven in the mornings.

In January 1989 the Tarwin Veterinary Group was born when John Steinfort and Hooper, Poulton & Bullock merged to form a private company. This Group now had clinics in Mirboo North, Leongatha, Foster and Dumbalk. Will Bullock became the first chair of TVG.  Also in 1989, Andrew Bissett returned to the practice and worked out of Foster.

2000s

In 2002 the Bissetts returned from Ballarat and purchased John Steinfort’s shares in TVG. John decided to retire from private practice and concentrate on developing his many inventions. Andrew & Carolyn job shared, balancing veterinary work with raising their young family and managing a family property.

The new millennium saw further changes in veterinary practice. Companion animal practice was growing and livestock practice was shrinking. Fewer veterinary graduates were interested in rural careers. Many wanted to stay in the cities doing companion animal-only practice. The rural veterinary shortage was beginning. In response to this, practices started to look further afield for veterinarians. Gerhardus (Gerhard) Labuschagne and his family had immigrated to Numurkah from South Africa in 2001. In 2003 he joined TVG and relocated to Leongatha. Peter DeGaris left TVG in 2003 and joined Bovine Strategic Services to pursue a career and a PhD in bovine nutrition. Also significant in 2003 was the return of Barb Dell who became the first practice manager of TVG.

Gerhard purchased shares in TVG and became a director in 2004 effectively replacing Peter DeGaris. Meanwhile Barry Zimmerman left the Wonthaggi practice at this time and was replaced by Michael Dhar.

Melissa Trew (Rogers) joined TVG as a new graduate in January 2005. Newhaven clinic underwent a total rebuild in the same year which allowed significant growth in work. The Inverloch clinic also became more established, providing morning clinics and adding a grooming service. The following year saw Peter DeGaris rejoin TVG as director.

Murray retired from TVG in 2008 after 37 years of service. He was still doing embryo transfer work at this time although it had contracted.

In February 2011 Tom Gilheany started at TVG as part of a trio of new graduates. Pieter and Marietje Malherbe had immigrated from South Africa and joined the Korumburra practice as vets. In January 2012 Pieter joined TVG as a farm animal vet.

Sadly in 2012, Peter O’Connor passed away. At this time the practice he had helped develop was very different to the one he started in the 1950s!

Equine practice had always been a part of both practices but finding vets that were proficient in equine work was an ongoing challenge. In 2011 TVG started the process of building a purpose built equine facility in an old nursery on the South Gippsland Highway. Michael O’Brien started as a mixed vet in 2011 with a background in equine medicine. Mike moved to Sydney to undertake an internship at Randwick in 2013. After Mike moved on, the practice employed their first dedicated equine vet, Craig Stalker.